Snowmobiler Injured Near West Yellowstone

A snowmobiler was rescued after his sled went off trail and struck a tree near West Yellowstone today.

At 12:48 p.m., Sheriff’s Search and Rescue in West Yellowstone received a report of a snowmobile accident on the Two Top Trail near junction 16 southwest of the Town of West Yellowstone, according to a news release from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office.

A 67-year-old Island Park, Idaho man was riding a snowmobile with a group of 30 people when his snowmobile went off trail and struck a tree. He was unconscious for about 10 minutes and was struggling to breathe on his own. A nurse who was with the group was able to get the man to breathe on his own by simply changing his position.

Rescue personnel, who arrived by snowmobile a short time later, loaded the man onto a rescue sled and transported him back to town and into an awaiting Hebgen Basin Fire District ambulance. The Air Idaho medical helicopter arrived on scene seven minutes later and the man was flown to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. He was conscious and breathing with no other injuries when he was transported.

Sheriff Brian Gootkin reminds people to travel with others and always carry some form of communications with you when in the backcountry. While you don’t have to have it powered on constantly, do check it often in case someone is trying to contact you and so that you can contact others if needed.